Garry Monk was starting his managerial stint at Leeds after a 13th place finished the year before under Steve Evans who left in the summer of 2016.

Monk was appointed On June 2, 2016, and was tasked with getting Leeds to mount a serious promotion charge.

There was plenty of transfer activity for the Whites ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.

Fans were happy with the appointment of Monk, and his transfer dealings were positive and supported with a warm response from the club’s support.

One signing that upped the stakes of fanfare and anticipation was the capture of former Valencia and Swansea midfielder Pablo Hernandez.

On August 2, 2016, the Spaniard was unveiled after signing a six-month loan deal from Qatar Stars League side Al-Arabi.

The initial reaction to the signing was overwhelmingly positive.

Hernandez lined up at Leeds with his former Swansea boss and was made to wait to make his debut for the Championship club.

Due to a paperwork issue from the Qatar FA, the Spaniard had to miss out on the club’s season opener against Queens Park Rangers.

Good job, too, as it ended in a 3-0 defeat, but he would make his debut in the League Cup a few days later.

During his six-month loan deal, the then 31-year-old managed 18 appearances and scored three goals.

And on January 9, 2017, the deal was made permanent.

Hernandez signed an initial six-month contract with an option of a further year at the end of the 2016/17 campaign.

And the fans were overjoyed he had agreed on a permanent deal.

He appeared in his first match after the new agreement four days later, helping his team climb to third in the table after defeating Derby County 1–0 at home and being named the man of the match in the process.

The Spaniard was really starting to impress and eventually scored six goals and registered eight assists for Leeds as they narrowly missed out on the play-offs that season.

Finishing seventh and just three points off the top six, Hernandez’s influence was undeniable.

The omnipresent midfielder was forever at the heart of Leeds’ attacks and a vital cog in the machine that saw Leeds push for a place at the post-season promotion lottery all the way.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the play-offs, Hernandez was retained, and the one-year extension was triggered.

His second season was just as impressive, and seemingly getting better with age, he managed nine goals and eight assists in 45 appearances.

It was mind-blowing as to how Hernandez was improving the older he was getting.

And despite flirting with the play-offs Leeds’ 2017/18 campaign ended in 13th place, making the Spaniard’s accomplishments even more impressive.

That season he was nominated for the club’s player of the year award and won it, along with the player’s player of the year award, too.

And on April 26, 2018, he signed a new two-year deal with his current one close to expiring.

That sent the Leeds fans into delirium at the prospect of a further two-years being able to watch the attacker grace the hallowed Elland Road turf.

This season under Marcelo Bielsa, Hernandez has played a starring role and been one of the most important players at the club, scoring four goals and getting four assists in just nine appearances.

The initial reaction was positive, but not a single Leeds supporter could have fathomed the move would have gone this well.

The Spaniard is a firm favourite amongst the club’s supporters, and he seems to be getting better with age.

It was a signing that pleased many and it has been one of the club's better signings in recent years.